Farris Hussein:
Orladno Winter Park
Academy
A lifelong soccer fan who turned a dream into a business. Farris saw the We Make Footballers opportunity, backed himself as an early adopter of the brand in the US, and has built a 50-player academy in under a year - learning to coach through the WMF system along the way.
From lifelong soccer fan to franchise owner
From lifelong soccer fan to franchise ownerBody copy: Farris Hussein has loved soccer his whole life. A devoted Barcelona fan and a decent player growing up, he always dreamed of working in the game, but it never felt realistic.
He didn't play at a high college level, and instead channeled his ambition into a successful career in sales - a path he was thriving in, but one that kept him away from the game he loved.
Then he saw the advert. We Make Footballers was looking for franchisees in the US. Farris went through the process with Andy and quickly realized this was something achievable. He didn't have to be an experienced coach to get started - the WMF training system would teach him that.
What he needed was business drive, a passion for the game, and the confidence to be an early adopter of a brand he could see was going to be big in America. He had all three.
In late 2025, Farris launched WMF Orlando – Winter Park. He found an incredible venue at Sofive Winter Park — an elite indoor/outdoor facility that allows year-round training - recruited a talented coaching team and trained them up using the WMF systems. In under a year, the academy has grown to over 50 players and is on target to hit the business plan.
From 1-on-1 coach to multi-academy leader
What started with Saturday sessions at Sofive Winter Park is growing into a full soccer development program. Farris and his coaching team deliver weekly training, holiday camps, and private 1-on-1 sessions — all following the WMF syllabus, with every child getting 500+ touches of the ball per hour.
The next phase is already underway. Farris is building a Foundation League in Orlando to give his players structured match experience, and once that's established, the goal is a full WMF club team - creating the complete player pathway that sets WMF apart from anything else in the US market.
Measuring success beyond the numbers
Farris at WMF Orlando is proving that you don't need a coaching background to build a successful soccer academy — you need the right system and the drive to make it work.
Early US adopter
Active Students
Average renewal rate
Academies led
How Rahul built their football coaching franchise
The dream Farris grows up a lifelong soccer fan and Barcelona devotee. He's a good player but doesn't reach a high college level, and channels his drive into a successful sales career instead. He's doing well - but working in the game he loves still feels out of reach. That changes when he sees an advert from We Make Footballers looking for US franchisees.
Early 2025
Taking the leap Farris goes through the franchise process with Andy and sees that the WMF model makes working in soccer achievable.
He commits to Orlando as an early adopter of the brand in the US, completes in-person training with CEO Sean Conlon in Miami alongside the WMF online coaching modules, and begins building his academy.
lATE 2025
Launch & rapid growth WMF Orlando – Winter Park launches at Sofive, an elite indoor/outdoor venue.
Farris recruits a strong coaching team — Head Coach Arianna Sparrow and Staff Coaches Ben Burgess and Kaden Foreman - and trains them up using the WMF systems. The academy hits 50+ players in under a year, on target with the business plan.
2026
Farris begins forming a Foundation League in Orlando to give players structured competitive experience. The next step after that: a full WMF club team.
With holiday camps, private training, and school partnerships all in the pipeline, the Orlando academy is building toward the complete WMF product ecosystem.
A day in the life of a football coach
Running multiple We Make Footballers academies means juggling business responsibilities with time on the pitch. Here’s what a typical training day looks like for Rahul.
Planning, parents and programmes
Rahul starts the day reviewing bookings, trial requests and enquiries for Chiswick, Southall and Slough. He checks which sessions are close to capacity, organises coaches and confirms venue details. A chunk of time goes into speaking with parents, answering questions and making sure new players feel welcome before they even arrive. He then refines session plans using the We Make Footballers syllabus so every group has a clear focus for that evening.
High-energy sessions on the pitch
By late afternoon, Rahul is at the venue greeting players by name. Sessions are intense but fun – lots of ball-mastery, 1v1s and small-sided games, with encouragement and clear coaching points throughout. Between drills he is constantly watching how individuals respond, making mental notes for future 1-on-1 work or progression into grassroots and academy pathways. When the final whistle blows, he is tired but already looking forward to the next group.
“Watching kids play makes me want to go back and play again. Football is where you find friends and find your passion. I never thought I would end up a coach, but staying in football and helping young players every week has been the best decision I have made.”
Ready to start your football coaching adventure?
Rahul’s story shows what can happen when you combine a love of football with a proven coaching system and strong support from head office. Whether you already coach or simply want a new direction, a We Make Footballers franchise can help you build a sustainable academy in your own community.
